Bottling Fire
by royalmagician
Summary: Stuck playing escort to a visiting Hairy Hooligan warrior, Hiccup, at a festival, Merida is eager to prove to the infuriating guest that magic is indeed real. But when Hiccup insults a wizard, the two find themselves embarking on a quest to break a curse. Hiccup/Merida


**Bottling Fire**

**Summary: **Stuck playing escort to a visiting Hairy Hooligan warrior, Hiccup, at a festival, Merida is eager to prove to the infuriating guest that magic is indeed real. But when Hiccup insults a wizard, the two find themselves embarking on a quest to break a curse.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own neither Brave nor How to Train Your Dragon. All rights to their respective owners.

**A/N: **Formerly 'The Dragon Rider of Berk,' I reworked this story and added scenes when I developed a more solid plot line.

* * *

**Part One**

* * *

Merida crossed her arms and harrumphed, sinking farther into her wooden throne beside her father, King Fergus. It had been nearly two years since the clans had all convened as they were, and that was to decide upon Merida's betrothal which was—thankfully—avoided when her mother, the Queen and instigator of aforementioned betrothal process, and she had realized more than a few things about one another.

Since then, the clans had become more united due to the wisdom of their Princess and Queen, as well as allowing their young folk to decide who they wanted to marry themselves, and there had been a great surge of prosperity throughout the kingdom.

That being as it was, Merida often found herself traveling with her father and mother across the lands, even accompanying them to the border of DunBroch and the tribe lands. The royal convoy was making efforts to further trade and relations with their neighbors, which was precisely the reason the four clans of DunBroch and their lairds were assembled; to greet the Chieftain of the Hairy Hooligan Tribe.

The Hairy Hooligan tribe was the tribe that bordered them to the north, in the region known as Berk, and they had become known in the last ten years as having tamed dragons. When hearing this news, Merida had scoffed as any person would until she was seated atop Angus right along the border of DunBroch and suddenly a whole scouting party of dragons descended from the sky to greet the royal convoy. Angus, who by this time was nonplused about everything, had just blinked at the dragons for a brief moment and Merida wish she could say she fared much the same, but then she'd be just lying to herself.

Merida harrumphed again. She hadn't really had a good harrumph in quite a while—there was little to harrumph about nowadays with her being kept busy with princess duties that _didn't_ bore her to tears—but found herself doing quite a lot of it that particular day. Queen Elinor, her mother, glanced over at her daughter with a raised brow, thinking much the same as Merida did but was much more skilled in the art of hiding her annoyance.

The Chieftain, after weeks of careful planning with royal messages sent back and forth, negotiations, very formal pleasantries—Merida was pleased to say she had was instrumental when a Hairy Hooligan warrior and representative of the chief, a Warrior Tuffnut, came to visit and she had impressed him enough with her archery to convince him that DunBroch was a worthy ally—and many compromises, was _late._ Merida harrumphed for the umpteenth time.

In honor of both the summer and the Hairy Hooligans arriving to DunBroch and the Highlands, the Beltane Festival was to begin the next morning and last week instead of its traditional day. The four clans—as well as their Viking guests—would have the opportunity to open stalls to display their specialty wares as well as folks from all across the countryside arriving for entertainment and to show off their athletic prowess in the Games. It was the day—now week—that Merida looked forward to the whole year.

Merida was quite proud of the festivities held at the castle and, though she admitted it was rather silly of her, she was eager to show their arriving guests the spectacle that the kingdom of DunBroch and her citizens had to offer.

Turning to her peer at her mother around the bulk that was her father, Merida raised a questioning eyebrow to the Queen. Her father had stood and greeted the visiting lairds and their entourages—much smaller in size than the last assembly of the clans since there was not nearly as much tension—nearly a half an hour ago. Since, the lairds and clan men had digressed into chatting with one another without there being any tension.

Lairds Dingwall and MacGuffin, known in past to have made sport of arguing with one another, seemed to have become allies with one another as they were teasing Laird Macintosh about some event in their shared youths. Merida smiled slightly at the sight of the three proud men amiably squabbling amongst one another despite herself but could spare little more thought on it as she focused on her mother.

Seeing her daughter's expectant look, Queen Elinor bent her head to speak with her daughter and husband in a hushed voice. "Fergus," she began, "The message they sent ahead said they'd be here on schedule?" Merida was sorely tempted to observe that, with dragon flight, their guests should be _early, _if anything, but held her tongue, knowing her mother wouldn't receive the comment well and—if she was honest with herself—couldn't see what good her remark would do, anyway.

The red haired King glanced down at his wife, saying, "Aye, which means they should be here—"

He was cut off by the doors to the throne room being thrown open to reveal one of the heralds of DunBroch in the entryway. Merida immediately sat straight in her throne, trying to restrain herself from leaning eagerly forward. The man, who obviously appeared flustered for some yet unknown reason, announced to the assembled crowd that hushed upon his entrance, "Presenting the Chieftain of the Hairy Hooligan Tribe, Stoick the Vast, and the warriors of the Hairy Hooligan Tribe."

The herald hurried aside as soon as his task was complete and in his place stepped a enormous man—Merida could only assume this was Stoick the Vast for he certainly was _vast_—dressed in fearsome chainmail and armor, furs draped across his shoulders in an impressive cloak and his helm was adorned with gleaming white horns. His beard was a thick, curly red that tumbled from his face and obscured much of his facial features. Merida stared at the Chief in wonder, amazed at this foreign, fearsome warrior. A man out of legends, if his appearance was anything to go by.

At his side strode a lean young man dressed in black and brown armor, embellished with fiery red. Instead of a beard obscuring his face, the man wore a helmet with a visor that he had yet to flip up or remove, obviously either too used to wearing it he didn't noticed or was not aware of the improperness of being obscured before a king—whether the king was his or not. Merida, though she cared little for such customs, couldn't help but be instantly curious about him. From the way he carried himself, he looked to be every bit the warrior the Chieftain was.

Rising from his throne once the embassy from the Hairy Hooligans came to a halt before the dais, King Fergus extended his arms in welcome to their guests, saying, "Greetings most honored guests and fearsome warriors of the Hairy Hooligan Tribe! We welcome you to the kingdom of DunBroch and the royal castle! I am Fergus, king as well as leader of the house of DunBroch. Myself, along with my Queen, Elinor, and daughter, Princess Merida, gladly welcome you to our home."

The triplets were not in attendance; the three had stolen so much of the confections meant for the welcome feast the day before they all had stomachaches and were currently moaning and groaning in their bedchambers. Served them right, missing their guests for being wee devils. Or so Merida had told them, though this had been received by them shouting for her to stuff it or get out.

The Chieftain, bowing slightly—only low enough to be polite and still shallow enough to indicate he saw King Fergus as his equal, as was only customary for two leaders to greet one another—replied, "We thank you for your hospitality, King Fergus, Queen Elinor, and Princess Merida." He bowed to the two ladies to show his respect to them. "I speak for myself and the tribe by saying we look forward to the time when our people can trade with one another and help both of our lands prosper."

The warrior chief paused as he indicated the young man at his side, motioning him to come and stand beside him. "I present my son, heir to the Hairy Hooligan Tribe, defeater of the Red Death, tamer of the Night fury, and first rider," the young man reached up to his helm as his father spoke, freeing his head from it and shaking out his hair, straightening as his name was announced. "Hiccup."

Merida would have laughed at the name if she didn't find her mouth suddenly dry at the sight. Hiccup couldn't be older than nineteen—a year Merida's senior—and he had a square jaw that marked him as stubborn, a crooked nose, as if it had been broken and healed several time, and a slight smile quirking his lips. His green gaze met Merida's blue one and his brown brows quirked. The princess restrained herself from trying to hide underneath her headdress.

She was a princess, she was eighteen, and she did _not_ hide under her headdress anymore! Lifting her chin slightly, she met his gaze without wavering.

There was a pause until Queen Elinor very quietly cleared her throat and this seemed to remind the King as he quickly continued, "I would like to present to you the lairds Macintosh, Dingwall, and MacGuffin. They are the leaders of the three other clans that unite to make the kingdom of DunBroch. I have invited them to the castle so that you may speak with them and learn what trade they have to offer."

The Chief nodded to the presented men and continued to engage in pleasantries with the King but whatever was said was lost on Merida's ears as she was too focused on the chief's son. He broke eye contact with her first, turning his head away to watch the exchange between his father and the King of DunBroch. Merida knew she should do much the same, but her curiosity got the better of her.

After the formalities, the throne room had been transformed into a banquet hall by the servants of the castle as if by magic. All the guests soon found themselves seated before long wooden tables with salvers of steaming beef and pork, platters of rolls, and heaping bowls of potatoes; only the finest spread the castle of DunBroch had to offer. Most of the dishes featured specialty goods from around the kingdom; Macintosh grain, MacGuffin fish, Dingwall fruits, and DunBroch potatoes and beef. A subtle yet ingenious menu arranged by the Queen.

* * *

Merida was seated with her mother and father, listening idly as the King regaled the Chief with a retelling of the monstrous bear, Mor'du, seeing as the leader of the Hairy Hooligans had never heard the tale and her father was never one to pass up the opportunity of fresh ears to tell his stories to. Elinor had forbidden him from telling the _other_ tale involving Mor'du, which he had complained about before the Queen had fixed him with the Look and he, grumbling all the while, promised to only tell the story of Mor'du and his leg.

Chief Stoick sat across from Fergus at the long table, Elinor to his right and Merida beside her. Hiccup sat to his father's right, making him down a ways from the Princess and Queen and he seemed to be deeply engaged in conversation with Laird Macintosh on some manner, most likely being questioned about dragons, as that seemed to be the preferred throughout the hall. Merida was just speculating if the tribe warriors had, in fact, ridden their dragons to DunBroch—were they just outside? Could she sneak out to see them tonight? Would anyone notice she was gone?—when Elinor leaned over to speak quietly with her.

It wasn't a spectacularly difficult feat to speak under the general roar of the banquet hall, with all the men practically shouting over one another, but Elinor still spoke softly as was only befitting a lady of her rank when speaking on private matters. "What do you think, Merida?" There was an amused tone in her mother's voice that made Merida quirk an eyebrow to her mother. "He's quite handsome, wouldn't you agree?"

She didn't need to ask who her mother meant, clearly she was meaning Chief Stoick's son, and Merida, minding to keep her voice down, said, drawing the word out, "Mum!"

The Queen giggled slightly, which surprised the Princess, as she wasn't aware her mother _could_ giggle. "Don't be ashamed, my dear. It's perfectly natural to like a handsome young warrior. Heavens know I did and look what happened." She indicated Fergus sitting next to her, who did notice his wife's teasing grin, and Merida snorted in amusement.

Two years ago, she knew she would have been appalled at her mother saying that any young man was handsome. Not only would she have been mortified with embarrassment—not to imply she wasn't mortified _now—_but she would have raged and shut her mother out. Well, firstly, her mother wouldn't be teasing and joking with her as she was, but still, Merida would have just added it as another reason that the Queen was suffocating her with all this 'being a princess' business. Now, though she certainly didn't claim to understand her mother all the time, she understood her hopes for her daughter, her ingenuity as queen, and—above all—her personality.

Merida was proud that the two had come to be friends as well as mother and daughter—which, if the Princess were to think about it, that's really what mothers and daughters ought to be—and even though she knew they still had a long way to go before they agreed without at least some discord, she accepted her mother's observations and teasing with a grin.

"I don't think so, Mum," Merida replied, raising an eyebrow and giving a laugh of her own. The Queen gave her daughter a look, not _the_ Look, simply a knowing look. She had seen the interested, keen light in Merida's eye when she and the Chief's son had gazed upon one another. Elinor had almost resigned herself to the very likely reality that she may never see her daughter marry—that simply was not something Merida planned for in her life of adventure—but then she saw that look the Princess and Chieftain's son had shared.

There was something between them, a mutual attraction perhaps, and Elinor—though she knew not to hope for marriage—hoped that, at the very least, Merida found a friend in the boy. And if friendship turned into something more, she wouldn't complain.

Of course, she said none of this to Merida, who had turned to Laird Dingwall and was already comparing recurve bows and reflex bows, the conversation soon becoming heating as more clans men joined in to argue their favored weapon. Elinor smiled as she watched her daughter briefly before turning to her husband and their honored guest, effectively cutting into another of Fergus' tales and steering the conversation into something not quite so one-sided.

* * *

In the midst of the third course of the feast—a platter of chicken drowned in mushroom sauce with a side of steamed assorted vegetables—Merida found herself in a lively argument with young Gawain Macintosh, who was surprisingly knowledgeable about sword types and styles. Though the two were hardly prospective love interests to one another, as was hoped by the Macintosh clan not two years ago, they had developed something of a comradeship.

"I'm not trying to say you're wrong, Princess," Gawain said, a laughing smile across his face. Though the heir to the Macintosh clan had long since grown from being a lanky seventeen-year-old and training with Merida had deflated his ego, he still retained his vanity, though now it was taken with a tone of humor. "Viking swords are all well and good for the people of Berk, maybe, but on the Highlands and against a Highland sword, they're useless."

Merida fixed him with a glare. "They're very versatile to fight with; the smaller ones are extremely agile when used properly. I'm just saying it would be a good idea to train with them, just to—"

Whatever argument the Princess had on the tip of her tongue to justify the Viking's broad hilted sword was lost as King Fergus drew her attention away by calling, "Merida!" Her ears perking at her name, she turned to expectantly peer around her mother to her father. "Merida, it be your absolute honored to escort Hiccup at throughout the Beltane festival, correct?"

Her father vaguely gestured to Chief Stoick as he spoke and Merida had to consciously stop herself from frowning. She had to admit she wanted to show the Vikings the splendor and spectacles that DunBroch had to offer, but she hadn't in mind being a guide for the duration of the festival. And she was so looking forward to the extended festivities; now she was wishing it was still only a day long as usual.

She knew she couldn't refused, to do so would be highly disrespectful to the visiting leader and his tribe, and it seemed rather wasteful after all her work in convincing them that DunBroch was worth entering into a trade alliance with. Still, her stubborn mind couldn't help think, she was to be giving up the one time of the year she always looks forward to.

Sighing, she nodded as she pulled a cordial smile across her face. "Yes, of course, it would be my absolute pleasure to escort your son, Chief Stoick," she replied, addressing the Chief.

With that matter settled, the two leaders returned their attentions to their food and her father began to explain to the Chief all about Beltane and the special weeklong festivities being held in the tribe's honor. Merida, having been forgotten, turned her icy blue gaze to the lean young man that sat to his father's right.

Hiccup did little to acknowledge her glare before she harrumphed again—this time making her Mum raise an eyebrow at her—and she returned to her discussion with Gawain with a certain fiery fervor that young Macintosh was positive wasn't because she was truly passionate about the introduction of Viking swords in the training regime of DunBroch's warriors.

* * *

When the torches had burnt down in the banquet hall and the desert platters had been cleared, King Fergus had made an announcement to the remaining guests—most had wondered off in search of their lodgings—that the festivities were over for the evening.

Standing from her chair, Merida stretched and managed to stifle a yawn behind her hand, saying to no one in particular, "I've been sitting for so long, I've lost all feeling to my legs."

Her comment fell on deaf ears, which was just as well, as her mother was moving to escort Chief Stoick up into the recesses of the castle, saying to him and his son, "I'll show you to your chambers, if you'll follow me. We had your things sent up during the feast."

"Actually, I'd like to go see to Toothless," the Chief's son replied, glancing apologetically to the Queen. Merida perked up at this—and it was _not_because this was the first time she had the opportunity to hear his voice—but rather that there could only be two things she could possibly theorize would be named 'Toothless' and the name was rather silly for a horse.

Hiding a smile, Merida silently shouted in glee at the thought that she might be able to follow Hiccup and see this 'Toothless', his dragon. She sincerely hoped that her assumption was right; it would be very exciting to see a dragon so close! She had only seen them from afar that first day on the border of DunBroch and Berk.

Though she was annoyed with the Chief's son since she was stuck shepherding him about the festival—it was hardly his fault but Merida pushed this detail aside—she still had no qualm in attempting to see his dragon. It anything, it only seemed to justify her sneaking around after him to her; served him right for ruining the festival for her.

"Of course. When you wish to go to your chambers, just come back in here and ask a servant to show you the way," Elinor replied with a gracious smile. Hiccup bowed his head to the Queen, King Fergus—who was rambling on with Laird MacGuffin, the only of the lairds to have stayed until then—and Merida. With that, the slim young man was striding towards the exit into the castle's courtyard, just as the Princess thought he would.

Waiting until her mother had swept up the stairs with Chief Stoick and she was positive her father and MacGuffin were too enraptured in reminiscing, Merida hurried from the hall and into the night, after Hiccup. Having picked her way silently down the cobblestoned path numerous times on her nighttime excursions to sneak out with Angus, Merida was able to follow Hiccup without incident.

She was feeling rather pleased with her stealth capabilities, really. She was silently congratulating herself on her accomplishment when, before her eyes, Hiccup seemed to disappear into inky blackness. Merida blinked, rubbed her eyes, and blinked again. She was sure her eyesight hadn't been tricked; Hiccup had really just slipped into complete darkness.

Frowning, she slowly picked her way over to where Hiccup had disappeared. Suddenly she found a large set of deep, round emerald eyes blinking at her. Merida gulped slightly. She took a minute step back; though cat-like in appearance, the eyes were certainly too big for any cat she knew. "You know," a voice said off to her left, from where Hiccup had disappeared. Glancing up from the eyes, Merida found the young man himself standing there, his arms crossed and an unreadable expression across his face. "It's not smart to sneak up on a dragon. Especially a Night fury."

He didn't say it unkindly rather more matter-of-fact. She got the distinct impression that he had been perfectly aware he was being followed and she resisted the urge to scowl at this; she was sure she was undetectable. "I just wanted to make sure you didn't get lost," Merida offered after a bit, not particularly in the mood to admit the truth and that she was curious about his dragon.

Thinking of dragons, she turned her gaze hurriedly back to the green eyes and found that the owner of said eyes had moved from the pool of shadows it had been in and into the relative brightness of the moon's light. She suddenly realized why she had originally thought Hiccup had vanished; the dragon was a fathomless black. The only part of the beast that wasn't black was it's green gaze that blinked curiously at her. She couldn't make out much of the dragon's features, as it was little more than an outline, but she was impressed by it's lithe, elegant form.

"That's why you were sneaking around instead of just saying you were here to show me around because that's _not _suspicious _at all,_" Hiccup intoned, dryly.

"Well sorry if I was trying to be a good host! I do have to escort you around tomorrow and I thought I might try to be helpful tonight too," Merida defended. At this, the dragon, Toothless, or so Merida assumed, growled lowly. The Princess, though she prided herself on her courage, stepped slightly back at the sound for the sake of self-preservation while harrumphing, if only to show she wasn't really all that impressed.

"No, I get it," Hiccup replied, smiling slightly at her, which only served to irritate Merida further. "Dragons are cool. Yeah, dragons and all their dragon-ness!"

Merida raised an eyebrow at that, and Hiccup shrugged slightly. She crossed her arms; too stubborn to admit he caught her and replied after a pause, "Why would I follow you to see a dragon?" She inserted a snort of disbelief and an eye-roll for good measure. "What a waste of time!" She knew she was being a brat but her pride just wouldn't allow her to admit he was right and her sneaking hadn't been _nearly_ as good as she thought it to be—at least not so good as to escape Hiccup's notice. Not to mention her annoyance at being saddled with him for Beltane made it quite simple for her to be a prat.

This only seemed to amuse Hiccup further as he raised his own eyebrows, mirroring her. "Right," he said slowly, before turning to the black dragon. "Well if you wouldn't mind waiting for a few minutes, I'd appreciate your being a good host and help me to find my chambers."

Merida harrumphed and Hiccup took this as agreement. The Princess scowled at the Chief's son as he tended to Toothless, already deciding that he was one of the most infuriating people she had ever met. She supposed it was because he had unwittingly ruined the festival for her but yet, for reasons she couldn't begin to fathom, her irritation extended beyond simply putting a damper on her plans. He had been nonplused by her attitude and this grated on her nerves. It didn't help that just _looking _at him made irritation course through her like a fire.

* * *

The next morning dawned brightly on DunBroch castle and the distant strains of music and laughter carried on the wind drifted into Merida's chambers, tickling her awake and inviting her out onto the castle's green, converted into the festival grounds for the week. A smile curling her mouth, the Princess pushed her quilt off her and hurried to her open window, leaning on her forearms and eagerly gazed out at the sight that greeted her eyes.

Beltane is the summer fire festival, the nights filled with great bonfires, singing, dancing, but mostly feasting. Warriors competed in the heavy athletics while players—actors, jesters, magicians, and dancers—mystified audiences with tales of love, magic, and courage. Foreign wares, glittering jewelry, exotic spices, and sheer, silk were sold alongside wool, wooden carvings, and Celtic scrollwork in booths that lined alleys of the festival grounds. Looking out over the castle green, it was as though a city was being erected before Merida's eyes.

Her favorite event of the festival, typically her last activity of the day before returning to the castle for the feast and bonfire, was the display of magic and tales of courage by the Pictish seer and wizard, Myrddin Ambrosius. He had been a regular to the Beltane Festival at DunBroch castle since before Merida was born but yet, legend was, he never looked a day older than the year prior. Which Merida could attest to, seeing as, for the past eighteen years, he appeared no older to her.

After her encounter with the wood-cutting witch, Merida had watched the magic of the entertainer's more critically, able to note that the seemingly supernatural powers where elaborate, and clever, hoaxes. Yet, Myrddin Ambrosius was the only of them she was baffled by. She was quite weary of magic yet, when she watched Ambrosius' magical act as she had done every year, she felt a certain honesty and wisdom in the man which the witch certainly hadn't instilled in her.

It was an unsettling thought, that she'd have such faith in the aloof, mysterious wizard after her ill-fated dabble in magic but she shrugged it off, already eagerly awaiting when night fell and the players' troupe would perform. As she readied herself for the day, her excitement slowly began to melt away as she remembered the events of the previous' nights feast. By the time she had braided her mess of curls back, a frown had taken residence upon her face.

She wouldn't be able to see Myrddin Ambrosius, most likely, if she was stuck playing escort and guide for Hiccup. She huffed at this; first he and his tribe arrived late and then she had to give up her precious time during the festival. She gritted her teeth and, instead of huffing again, she properly harrumphed.

The Princess, stomping from her chambers, making Maudie—the triplet's old nursemaid—who was passing by in the corridor, jump in surprise at her viciously slamming her door shut. She paid her little attention, as she strode down the corridor, towards the dining hall where she and her family typically took their meals. Her mind flitted over the idea of escaping before her mother or father could find her, sneaking out into the fairgrounds before the Hairy Hooligan tribe members even roused.

Before she could even formulate a scheme of escape, Merida spotted her mother sweeping down the corridor towards her. The Princess puffed out her cheeks in annoyance, making the Queen laugh. "Come now, Merida, its not like poor Hiccup is hideous or that you have to marry him! Just show him all the exciting things the festival has to offer," Elinor said as she drew to her daughter, guessing her thoughts.

"But Mum," complained Merida, "I won't be able to do anything I want to do!" She was perfectly aware of how much she sounded like a selfish little child, but in that moment, she felt perfectly justified. "You know Beltane Day is my favorite festival of the whole year."

"Just escort him this one day and I'll talk to your father about finding Hiccup someone else to guide him around the rest of the week," Elinor reasoned, knowing it was best to compromise with her daughter then try to force her into anything.

Merida smiled slightly at that, recognizing that her mother was trying to understand her. "Thank you, Mum," Merida nodded before adding, "I'll escort him during the evening festivities." Meaning after the players' shows had concluded and the feasting and bonfires had begun.

With the understanding between the two royal women settled, they proceeded down to the dining hall where the rest of the royal family—it seemed the triplets were feeling much better—and the Hairy Hooligan men were seated and already helping themselves to bowls of porridge, platters of eggs, and salvers of bacon. At the entrance of the Queen, the men all stood and bowed respectfully to her before they returned to their seats.

Parting ways with her mother, each going to their respective places at the table, Merida found herself sitting across from Hiccup. Schooling her expression into her best 'polite princess' smile, she took her chair and greeted, "Good morning, Hiccup. I hope you slept well last night?"

She was still irritated with him, there was no mistaking that, especially with how infuriating he was the previous evening, but she knew that if her mother did speak to her father, it would only be because Merida was the perfect hostess.

Hiccup blinked at her for a moment, obviously taken aback by this very different Princess than the one he had encountered last night and that had irritably showed him to his chambers, before a grin flickered onto his face and he replied amiably, "I slept like a baby, thanks for asking."

Merida nodded stiffly and bowed her head to focus on shoveling porridge into her mouth. The silence between them stretched on until the Princess pushed away her breakfast, indicating she was done to the servants that patrolled the table, looking for plates to clear, and said, "Well, Hiccup. What all would you like to see today?"

Hiccup shrugged. "I wouldn't mind seeing the athletics," he began, making Merida deflated, already bidding farewell to any hope she had of seeing the players. "And maybe some plays, I heard they're supposed to be really good." Merida felt a small flame of warmth towards the Hairy Hooligan that she quickly stamped on. She was still annoyed with him.

* * *

A/N: I hope you enjoyed and please leave a review!


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